Week: Jesus' Miracles
We start by pausing and taking a deep breath:
In and out.
In and out.
We remember that God is here, and so together we prepare ourselves to be with God.
Pause
Our Father in heaven, we know that You are with us and that You want to talk with us – so we respond very simply by saying: ‘Here we are, we’re ready. Teach us how to pray.’
Teresa was a hero of prayer. Let’s REFLECT on some of Jesus’ words that would’ve inspired her as she prayed.
Read by Annika
[Jesus said] I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know what his master is doing. But I call you friends, because I have made known to you everything I heard from my Father. You did not choose me; I chose you.
John 15:15-16a (NCV)
Teresa was born in 1515 in Ávila, Spain, and she started following Jesus when she was very young. When she grew up she decided that she wanted to become a nun, which is someone who dedicates their life to praying and to worshiping God while living with other nuns in a special community called a convent.
Nuns have to pray for hours every single day, and at first Teresa found this really difficult. She got bored very quickly and then her mind would wander onto other things. She even tried to speed up her prayer-timer so she could get it over and done with!
But all of that changed when she understood today’s Bible passage – that Jesus wanted to be her friend. As Teresa put it: ‘prayer is nothing else than being on terms of friendship with God.’ ‘The important thing (in prayer)’, she said, ‘is not to think much but to love much.’*
Having understood this, Teresa learned to love prayer. During her life Teresa of Ávila helped thousands others get to know God as their friend too.
Let’s pause and talk about today’s question which is: What does it mean to be a good friend?
Teresa said that Jesus had all the qualities we could ever want or need in a good friend.
Lord Jesus, thank You for being our friend. We ASK You to help us be good friends to You, and to others too.
Teresa believed that when we become God’s friend, we become a better friend to those around us. Every day, she would ask herself ‘How can I be helpful’ to others?
Lord Jesus, we ASK You to bring to our minds someone who we can help today.
Teresa understood that prayer isn’t just about us speaking to God, but that God speaks to us too. She said, ‘His voice reaches us through words spoken by good people, through listening to spiritual talks, and reading [the Bible]. God calls to us in countless little ways all the time.’**
Pause
And now, let’s say YES to God together.
Amazing God, we say YES to speaking with You and listening to You in prayer. Help us to notice when You are saying something to us.
Pause
Let’s put a hand on our heart.
Father God, fill us with Your love. Help us to love You, and everything that You’ve made.
Let’s point to our eyes.
Lord Jesus, help us to see You, and to see others the way that You see them too.
Let’s point to our ears.
Holy Spirit, help us to hear You, and give us courage to do what You say.
* This selection from the writings of St. Teresa of Avila on friendship with Jesus (Opusc. De Libro vitae, ap. 22, 6-7, 14) appears in the Roman Catholic Office of readings
** St. Teresa of Ávila, Interior Castle, 1577
Chris lives in Melbourne, Australia with his wife and two boys. He works for 24-7 Prayer Australia and Red Church and is also a professional musician. When he’s not working or drumming Chris enjoys going on long hikes in the mountains with his boys and playing table tennis.
Annika is 10 years old and lives in Melbourne, Australia with her parents and older brother and sister. Annika enjoys playing Cricket and Aussie Rules Football and loves going to watch her favourite team play football. Annika also learns the drums and enjoys making up her own beats!
